Technical Sessions

Presenter Information

ORAL PRESENTATIONS:

Most oral sessions will provide a total of 20 minutes per presentation (15 minutes for presentation and 5 minutes for questions and discussion). One laptop computer using Windows XP (no Macs available) with Power Point 2007, one LCD projector, and one screen will be provided for all oral sessions. Speakers may not use their own laptop computers for presentations. If a Mac was used to produce a presentation, presenters should check it for compatibility prior to coming to the conference and on one of the Speaker Ready Room laptops as soon as possible. Slide projectors, overhead projectors, and multiple screens will not be available. If you have any special requests you must have contacted the AV coordinator, Scott Harris,
by 20 February 2010.

Speakers
Before leaving for the meeting, please verify that your presentation will open and display properly on a Microsoft Windows machine running Microsoft PowerPoint 2007. Also, please use the following naming convention for your presentation to make loading and presenting more efficient at the conference:
<Session#>-<Paper#>-<StartTime>-<LastName>.pptExample: 30-03-0845-Harris.ppt

Speaker Ready Room
The Speaker Ready Room (Mencken Room) is open at the following times:

Saturday, 13 March, 4-9 p.m.

Sunday, March 14, 7 a.m.-9 p.m.

Monday, March 15, 7 a.m.-9 p.m.

Tuesday, March 16, 7 a.m.-1 p.m.

To Load a PowerPoint Presentation:

Bring your PowerPoint presentations on either a thumb drive or a CD to the Speaker Ready Room by the times indicated in the Schedule of Events to load to the computers there.

For Sunday morning talks, deadline to load oral presentations is 9 p.m. Saturday, March 13. For Monday and Tuesday morning talks, deadline to load oral presentations is 5 p.m. the previous day. For afternoon talks, deadline to load oral presentations is 10 a.m. the same day.

The Northeastern/Southeastern Sections particularly solicits papers from undergraduate students. These papers will be integrated with related sessions and papers.

POSTER PRESENTATIONS:

Poster sessions will take place in the International Rooms ABCDF. They allow a minimum of 2.5 hours display time. Presenters must be present for a minimum of two hours of that time. All posters must fit on a single 8' x 4' display board. Electrical and network connections will not be available. Display boards will accommodate either Velcro or push pins.

Symposia

1. It All Starts In the Field: In Honor of Wallace A. Bothner.
Jo Laird, University of New Hampshire; Steven Whitmeyer, James Madison University; Stephen Allard, Winona State University.

This symposium will highlight field-based research and education by geoscientists influenced by Wally Bothner. Topics include New England geology, Appalachian tectonics, and the cross-disciplinary nature of geoscience research and education associated with fieldwork and mapping.

2. The New Bedrock Geologic Map of Vermont: New Answers, New Problems, and New Uses of Bedrock Geologic Data.
Nicholas M. Ratcliffe, U.S. Geological Survey; Marjie Gale, Vermont Geological Survey; Peter Thompson, University of New Hampshire.

The forthcoming bedrock geologic map of Vermont represents a 20-year effort by numerous geologists from federal, state, and academic institutions. This symposium will focus on new aspects and questions associated with the geology of Vermont.

This symposium will discuss and overview asbestos minerals, including problems of identification for researchers and regulators, as well as common perceptions, and will provide up-to-date scientific information useful for mineralogists and geologists, and other individuals, especially those responsible for community decisions who know this as an expensive hazard.

Theme Sessions

We solicit abstracts related to any of the following theme sessions, but will entertain abstracts on any other subject that does not fit these theme sessions.

1. The Iapetan Rifted Margin and Rift History of Eastern Laurentia.
William A. Thomas, University of Kentucky; Denis Lavoie, Geological Survey of Canada

The Appalachians have long been the model for understanding orogenic belts, and this session will explore the pre-Appalachian Iapetan rifted margin of Laurentia as a foundation and framework for understanding the evolution of the Appalachian orogen.

The post-Middle Ordovician evolution of the Appalachian orogen is principally governed by the interactions of eastern Laurentia with peri-Gondwanan elements. This session focuses on the similarities and contrasts in middle to late Paleozoic Laurentian-Gondwanan interactions along the length of the Appalachians.

3. Tectonic Significance of Buried Terranes of the Atlantic and Gulf Coastal Plains.
Wright Horton, U.S. Geological Survey; Paul Mueller, University of Florida

Buried "basement" terranes are one of the last frontiers of eastern North American geology. We welcome contributions defining the boundaries, geologic histories and tectonic evolution (including supercontinent cycles), early Mesozoic rifting, and influence on coastal-plain structures, neotectonics, groundwater, and hydrocarbons.

4. Strike-Slip and Transpressional Tectonics in the Appalachians and Beyond.
Chuck Trupe, Georgia Southern University; Kevin Stewart, University of North Carolina; David West, Middlebury College

Collisional orogens commonly experience strike-slip and transpressional tectonic events. This session will explore the timing and significance of these events in the Appalachians and other collisional mountain belts.

The role that vorticity variation plays in high-strain zones has become the focus of many kinematic studies. This session will examine the various aspects of applied and theoretical vorticity and strain studies in the context of shear zone evolution.

Almost all geoscience research is based on geologic maps. This session highlights innovations in geologic mapping, data management, 4-D interpretations, applications in water and land management, and using geophysical maps to interpret crustal features.

7. Landscape Evolution in the Appalachians: Rates, Dates, and Models.
Greg Hancock, College of William & Mary; Paul Bierman, University of Vermont

The Appalachians have a long history of groundbreaking landscape evolution studies. In this light, this session seeks contributions from field, empirical, and theoretical studies examining the style and pace of Appalachian landscape evolution. We encourage submissions on studies utilizing new quantitative techniques to obtain rates and dates.

8. Recent Advances in Understanding the Geomorphology and Quaternary History of the Appalachian Region and Adjacent Regions.
Todd Grote, Allegheny College; J. Steven Kite, West Virginia University

This session will focus on advancing our understanding of the Appalachians and adjacent geologically linked regions. We invite recent research into terrestrial surficial processes and paleoenvironmental archives from glacial and nonglacial settings, and interdisciplinary research themes are highly encouraged.

9. Evolution of the Atlantic and Gulf Coasts from Rift Margin to Passive Margin.
Amy Weislogel, University of Alabama; Delores Robinson, University of Alabama

This session invites all investigations relating to the break-up and rifting of Pangea to evolution of the Atlantic and Gulf of Mexico spreading centers and ultimate formation of the modern passive continental margins.

10. The Integration of Marine and Non-Marine Subsurface Sediments to the Interpretation of the Stratigraphic Record of the Atlantic Coastal Plain.
Jesse Thornburg, Temple University; Stephen Peterson, Temple University

Analysis of subsurface sediments is vital for a more complete record of the evolution of the Atlantic coastal plain. This session highlights uses, applications, and the interrelationship of marine and non-marine subsurface sediments.

This session will bring together stratigraphers, paleontologists, sedimentologists, and geochronologists studying the Plio-Pleistocene evolution of the U.S. Atlantic coastal plain. Emphasis will be on correlation of coastal plain units or landforms over broad parts of the region and with isotopic records of ice volume change.

This session invites papers that discuss how climate change has altered, if at all, the magnitude and/or frequency of coastal processes and/or how barrier-tidal inlet-backbarrier systems have responded to process changes over a variety of spatial and temporal scales.

13. Measuring and Modeling Coastal Morphodynamics: Beaches and Shelves.
Art Trembanis, University of Delaware; Adam Skarke, University of Delaware

This session seeks to bring together researchers in coastal morphodynamics pursuing observational and modeling studies, particularly those examining bedforms from ripples to shoals and those aimed at advancing our understanding of transport processes at the coast and on the inner continental shelf.

Our coastal national parks provide opportunities to experience, understand, and protect these special areas. This session welcomes contributions pertaining to coastal and nearshore processes, geomorphology, or geology within and around national parks.

This session focuses on the dynamic sedimentary processes that occur in estuaries, including impacts on benthic organisms. Processes such as sediment transport, deposition, and erosion are considered, as well as their preservation in the stratigraphic record.

16. Connecting Continent and Sea: Paleoecologic Studies of the Eastern North American Continental Margin from Coastal Plain to Abyss. Cosponsored by The Paleontological Society and Eastern Section, SEPM.
Neil E. Tibert, University of Mary Washington; H. Allen Curran, Smith College

The continental margin of eastern North America includes terrestrial and marine deposits. This session will include a broad range of paleoecologic studies from these strata that facilitate our understanding of margin development and evolution.

This session will highlight a broad spectrum of innovative microfossil applications to research issues in terrestrial and marine environments, such as geoarchaeology, pollution remediation, sea-level reconstruction, Holocene climate change, and studies of anthropogenic impact and eutrophication.

This session will focus on research in eastern North America, including new work in the cradle of ichnology, New England. Paleontologists working with trace fossils or carrying out neoichnological experimentation and sedimentologists utilizing trace fossils in paleoenvironmental interpretation are invited to submit.

19. Geologic and Paleoenvironmental History of the Chesapeake Bay.
Rowan Lockwood, College of William & Mary; Thomas Cronin, U.S. Geological Survey

The Chesapeake Bay provides an ideal system for exploring how coastal ecosystems respond to threats, including human activity, climate change, and sea-level rise. This session focuses on the sedimentary record of the bay, from fossils to biomarkers, and its use for paleoenvironmental and paleoclimatic reconstruction.

20. Energy Resources in the Eastern United States and Associated Environmental Effects.
Devin Castendyk, State University of New York, College at Oneonta; Joseph Graney, Binghamton University

The demand for local energy production has never been greater. This session explores traditional and alternative energy resources in the eastern United States and potential environmental impacts associated with development of these resources. Topics include nuclear, coal, natural gas, hydropower, geothermal, biofuels, wind, and solar.

The eastern United States, with its long history and intensity of development, offers a large and varied array of geological engineering problems. This session will highlight some of the geo-engineering problems and the contributions geologists have made to their solutions.

This session outlines selenium (Se) bioavailability in several geological environments, focusing on soils where Se concentration is often critical for transfer to humans. While Se can be considered toxic in high amounts, global patterns of Se bioavailability indicate Se deficiency might contribute to other and widespread diseases.

23. Mercury in the Environment: From Maine to Florida.
Julia L. Barringer, U.S. Geological Survey; Zoltan Szabo, U.S. Geological Survey; John Reinfelder, Rutgers University

This session focuses on studies related to mercury's interactions with microbes (methylation, demethylation, reduction) and organic and inorganic constituents, mobility in different media, and atmospheric inputs in diverse East Coast environmental systems.

24. Hydrogeology of Wetlands and Watershed Processes.
Timothy Callahan, College of Charleston; Vijay Vulava, College of Charleston

This session invites contributions that demonstrate the role of the geologic framework in hydrology and water quality of individual wetlands or at the watershed scale, in both coastal and terrestrial environments, including depression and river-associated wetland systems.

25. Cave and Karst Deposits in the Eastern United States: Archives of Paleoclimates and Paleoenvironments.
Russell W. Graham, Pennsylvania State University; Blaine Schubert, East Tennessee State University

This session will focus on a wide variety of interdisciplinary records of paleoclimate and paleoenvironment preserved in cave and karst deposits from the eastern United States.

Mixing between shallow and deeper karst aquifer components have impacts on water quality, karst ecosystems, and the processes of karstification. We invite submissions that address the importance of interactions between deep and shallow components of groundwater flow in karst.

This session will be an opportunity for carbonate sedimentologists and stratigraphers to exchange ideas about differences and similarities and about prospects and challenges that various carbonate deposits of eastern North America provide.

This session will highlight exemplary aspects of undergraduate-driven research. It will include models for mentoring, professional development, logistics, and strategies. Students and student/faculty teams will also present specific examples of undergraduate-driven research.

29. Innovations in Teaching Earth-System Science for the K-12 Classroom.
Laura Guertin, Pennsylvania State University-Brandwine; Tanya Furman, Pennsylvania State University

Earth-system science allows for a course of study where students learn about the connections and applications of science, technology, and society on our planet. Climate change, sustainability, and energy issues are certainly "hot topics" that require our students to have a strong background in understanding how Earth works as a system. The systems approach enhances student learning even when SOLs focus on content and concepts from discrete subfields (e.g., geology, atmospheric science). We encourage K-12 teachers to submit their best practices for engaging students in earth-system science content.

30. The November Nor'easter of 2009 — A Preliminary Discussion of the Effects Throughout the Atlantic Coast Region
Art Trembanis, University of Delaware; Katie Farnsworth, Indiana University of Pennsylvania.

During the second week in November of 2009 a historic Nor'easter, the remains of Hurricane Ida, blasted the East Coast with torrential rains, pounding surf, and strong winds causing severe flooding and erosion both at the coast, within estuaries, and on inland rivers along much of the Atlantic coast. This session will bring together scientists actively working on understanding the effect of the large November 2009 Nor'easter along the central Atlantic Region. We welcome submissions spanning effects along the entire Eastern seaboard ranging from the upper watershed down to the coast and out onto the shelf. The goal is to provide a forum for researchers to illustrate and share the characteristics of the storm (winds, rainfall, surge, erosion, etc.) from a broad suite of both remote and in situ observational systems (i.e. buoys, mooring, stream gages, satellites, post-storm surveys, etc.) together with model simulations of the storm.